Bellum Alexandrinum 64

B. Alex. 64.1Cum iter Cassiō patefactum esset, castra Mārcellus cum Lepidō coniungit.

When the way had been opened for Cassius, Marcellus joined his camp with Lepidus'.

Note. Cassiō: dative of advantage with patefactum esset.

B. Alex. 64.1Lepidus eōdem tempore Mārcellusque Cordubam cum suīs, Cassius proficīscitur Carmōnem.

At the same time Lepidus and Marcellus set out for Corduba with their men, and Cassius for Carmo.

Note. proficīscitur serves for both subjects; Lepidus and Marcellus set out for Corduba, Cassius for Carmo.

B. Alex. 64.2Sub idem tempus Trebōnius prōcōnsul ad prōvinciam obtinendam vēnit.

About the same time Trebonius arrived as proconsul to take over the province.

Note. Trebōnius: Gaius Trebonius, sent by Caesar as the new governor. ad prōvinciam obtinendam: gerundive of purpose.

B. Alex. 64.2Dē cuius adventū ut cognōvit Cassius, legiōnēs, quās sēcum habuerat, equitātumque in hīberna distribuit;

As soon as Cassius learned of his arrival, he distributed the legions he had had with him, and his cavalry, into winter quarters;

Note. ut cognōvit: 'as soon as he learned'; ut with the perfect indicative means 'when'.

B. Alex. 64.2ipse omnibus suīs rēbus celeriter correptīs Malacam contendit ibique adversō tempore nāvigandī nāvem cōnscendit, ut ipse praedicābat, nē sē Lepidō et Trebōniō et Mārcellō committeret, ut amīcī eius dictitābant, nē per eam prōvinciam minōre cum dignitāte iter faceret, cuius magna pars ab eō dēfēcerat, ut cēterī exīstimābant, nē pecūnia illa ex īnfīnītīs rapīnīs cōnfecta in potestātem cuiusquam venīret.

he himself hurriedly snatched up all his possessions and hurried to Malaca, and there, though the season was bad for sailing, he boarded ship: as he himself declared, so as not to trust himself to Lepidus, Trebonius and Marcellus; as his friends kept saying, so as not to travel with less dignity through a province a great part of which had deserted him; as everyone else thought, so that the money he had amassed from endless plundering should not fall into anyone's hands.

Note. Three reasons are given, each introduced by ut: ut ipse praedicābat … ut amīcī dictitābant … ut cēterī exīstimābant, each followed by a purpose clause with nē. dictitābant: frequentative of dīcō, 'kept saying'.

B. Alex. 64.3Prōgressus secundā ut hībernā tempestāte cum in Hibērum flūmen noctis vītandae causā sē contulisset, inde paulō vehementiōre tempestāte, nihilō perīculōsius sē nāvigātūrum crēdēns, profectus adversīs flūctibus occurrentibus ōstiō flūminis, in ipsīs faucibus, cum neque flectere nāvem propter vim flūminis neque dērēctam tantīs flūctibus tenēre posset, dēmersā nāve periit.—

He made progress in weather that was favourable, for winter, and put into the river Ebro to avoid sailing at night; then, in somewhat rougher weather, believing that he would sail with no more danger, he set out; but with the waves running against him at the river mouth, right in the narrows, since he could neither turn the ship because of the force of the river nor hold her straight against such great waves, the ship went down and he perished. —

Note. secundā ut hībernā tempestāte: 'in weather favourable for winter'; ut limits the praise. noctis vītandae causā: gerundive with causā, 'to avoid (sailing at) night'. nihilō perīculōsius: 'no more dangerously'. dērēctam: 'kept straight', from dīrigō. The dash at the end is printed in the edition; the Spanish episode closes here.